Monday

Re: Monday

Related to other Penn Dutch customs of putting "Hex" signs on barns and witches balls under trees?

John

Not related except as to proclaim something.

Re: Monday

In colonial times westward expansion was sometimes cruel and often violent, but before Braddock�s defeat in 1755 there were efforts on the part of settlers and Indians to make things work. Coming in from Philadelphia were the Germans. Coming in from Baltimore were the Scotch/Irish. (Speaking simplistically) The Germans were influenced by the Quakers and were industrious, the best farmers and they cleared fields and they cut and used the lumber as they planned to stay. The Scotch and Irish on the other hand were largely grab and goers, they girdled tree and when the tree died with no more canopy they planted right there in the forest. They took what they wanted, settled where they pleased, and dared anyone to remove them. Seldom did anyone try because these were tough men-- fiercely independent and belligerent. In (now) West Virginia, Northern and Western PA and Ohio and Kentucky these Scot/Irish settlers took what they wanted, shot first and asked questions later. This of course did not sit well with the Indians. In order to ease tensions with some of the Indians, the Germans of Southeastern PA put silhouettes of Indians on their roofs to indicate that they BOUGHT the land from the Indians, not took it from them. History shows that as western expansion took place the German settlements became safer and safer with each mile of western movement. But after Braddock�s defeat outside of today�s Pittsburgh and the abandonment of all of the (then) west to the French it was open season and no one was safe as far East as Lancaster even if you did buy the land. For twenty years everybody was in danger and raids were common and deadly. By the time we were a country (1790s) the Delaware were gone the Susquehannock, Wyandot, Mingo, the Iroquois confederacy were assimilated, pushed West or destroyed and the Indians never recovered even with the moves of Tecumseh and then Pontiac. The silhouette practice died after 1800 with the second and third generation Germans of PA.

Re: Monday

Thanks for the question and information.